Photo: Jen Shah/Instagram
Their marital ups and downs as well as Jen’songoing legal woes— the reality star pled guilty to fraud and money laundering charges in July 2022 — were on full display for three seasons ofRHOSLC. Jen’s alleged financial crimes were also the subject of a Hulu documentary titledThe Housewife & the Shah Shocker, which was released in November 2021.
The Shahs have been married since 1994. However, almost 30 years into their marriage, they nearlygot divorcedafter Jen’s father’s death.
“We want to be together,” she shared on the season 2 premiere ofRHOSLC. “I was like, ‘Yo, no one’s leaving nobody in this marriage. You can try, it’s not working.’ "
Here’s everything to know about Jen Shah’s husband, Sharrieff Shah.
He grew up in California
Jen Shah Instagram
Sharrieff was born in Los Angeles in 1971. He attended Susan Miller Dorsey High School, which has a long list of famous alumni, includingRobert Kardashian Sr.and Keyshawn Johnson.
He later moved toSalt Lake Cityto attend the University of Utah, where he would go on to earn three degrees.
Sharrieff and Jen met in college
Sharrieff and his wife, née Jennifer Lui, were students at the University of Utah when their paths crossed in class, and they eventually became sweethearts.
“We had a class together. I saw her, my heart stops immediately,” he recalled in season 1 ofRHOSLC. “I walk up to her [and ask], ‘Is that seat taken?’ She looks at me like, ‘There’s nobody there. I guess not.’ That’s how we met.” They wed in 1994.
He inspired Jen to convert to Islam
Jen grew up with a Hawaiian and Tongan family in Utah and wasraised Mormon. She laterconverted to Islamafter marrying Sharrieff.
“I was raised Mormon and that’s all I knew until 5 years into my marriage, and I said, ‘Hey Sharrieff, why don’t you convert to Mormonism?’ " Jen said onRHOSLC. “He said, ‘Are you kidding me?! They didn’t accept Black people into the Mormon church until 1970-something.’ "
He and Jen have two sons, Sharrieff Jr. and Omar
Jen told theCurrently Cringingpodcastthat she got pregnant with her first son, Sharrieff Shah Jr., in 1994 while she was still in college.
Sharrieff Jr.attended the University of Utahand played for the Utes football team from 2014 to 2016. He is currently anorthopedic medical assistantat the University of Utah Health. The Shahs' younger son, Omar, was born in 2003.
Days before reporting for prison in February 2023, Jen revealed on her Instagram Story thatshe got a new tattoo, which honors her husband and sons. The ink, which is on her right arm, reads, “Sharrieff Omar Sharrieff.”
On the same day, Omar got a tattoo to honor his mom. Jen showed off her son’s tattoo on her Instagram Story as well, which reads “Keiki,” Jen’s middle name.
He is an NCAA Division I football coach
Sharrieff is thecornerbacks/co-special teams coordinatorfor the Utah Utes football team at the University of Utah. As a student, he was a four-year letterman for the Utes from 1990 to 1993.
Among his clients was his younger brother, NFL running back Abdul-Karim al-Jabbar (formerly known as Karim Abdul-Jabbar, born Sharmon Shah), who wasthe subject of a name controversywith NBA greatKareem Abdul-Jabbar.
He was a practicing attorney for 12 years
Jen Shah/Instagram
Sharrieff received his bachelor’s degree in political science in 1993, his master’s degree in exercise and sports science in 1995 and his Juris Doctor in 2001 from theUniversity of Utah. He practiced law in Utah for 12 years, specializing in commercial litigation and personal injury.
His marriage with Jen hit “rock bottom” after Jen’s father died
In season 1 ofRHOSLC, Jen shared that she startedtaking medication for anxiety and depressionafter her father died. Her husband initially opposed her taking antidepressants, suggesting prayer instead, but she said his method “didn’t work” and her behavior caused a rift between them.
“I was lashing out at everybody around me,” she said. “It almost cost me my marriage. He was done with me acting out, and it wasn’t until Sharrieff was like, ‘I’m leaving’ — that was my rock bottom.”
InRHOSLC’s season 2 premiere, Jen revealed that they almost got divorced around this time — Sharrieff even contacted a divorce attorney — but they went tocouples therapyand reconciled.
He has stuck with Jen through her legal troubles
“God literally sent an angel down on Earth to me in the form of Coach Shah to deal with my crazy ass,” she said during anInstagram Live appearancewith Bravo.
She continued, “Coach Shah, he’s so motivational. He’s so inspiring. Throughout this entire ordeal, it has really, it has brought us closer than ever. Which is, it’s crazy to say that, but it really has … Coach Shah and I have had our ups and downs through our marriage …. There’s no question in my mind Coach Shah loves me more than anybody or anything in the world and he’s just been so, so supportive of me.”
DuringRHOSLC’sseason 3 premierein September 2022, Jen spoke about the possibility of serving jail time. “I would be lying if I said I wasn’t scared,” she said. “I’m not thinking about myself, I’m thinking about my family. I can’t imagine being away from them. It would literally kill me.”
Later in the season, Jen discussed how her mental health suffered amidst her legal trouble, opening up about hersuicide attemptand how her husband was there for her. “I locked myself in the bathroom and Coach [Sharrieff] was so scared, he had to kick the door down because he didn’t know what I was going to do, and Coach had to take me to the hospital,” she said in a confessional. “I was there for two-and-a-half days.”
While Jen is now serving 5.5 years in prison, a rep for the reality star revealed that Sharrieff still supports his wife and the two are “going strong.”
“Jen and Coach Shah are doing really well,” the rep said. “There are still ups and downs, of course, due to the long distances but their marriage is still going strong.”
source: people.com
